Automatic bowling mechanism



0. L'FAIRCHILD. AUTOMATIC BOWUNG MECHANISM. I I APPLICATIQN man 020.14, 1911. 1 1,375,835. Patented Apr. 26, 1921.

18 SHEETSSHEET I A T ORNEY.

0. J. FAIRCHILD.

AUTOMATIC BOWLING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED 020.14, 1917.

1,375,835. Pabented Apr- 26', 1921.

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INVENTOR. 02m Ji'az'xclaf 4 TORNEY.

0'. J. FAIRCHILD. AUTOMATIC BOWLING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILEDDEC.1-fr-, 19m

Patented A r. 26, 1921'.

I8 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

INVENTOR. Qnezz JiZzz'zxkz'M 0. J. FAIRCHILD. AUTOMATIC BOWLING'MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 14, 1917- 1,375,835, Patented Apr. 26', 1921.

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,L y h I INVENTOR. Ozrezz J I ATTORNE INV ENTOR.

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Patented Apr. 26,1921.

0. J. FAlRCHILD. AUTOMATIC BOWLING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED DEC.14, I917- ANN I O. J. FAIRCHILD. AUTOMATIC BOWLING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED 050.14. 1917. 1,375,835. Patented Apr. 26, 1921.

18 SHEETS-SHEET 9.

0. L'FAIRCHILD. AUTOMATIC BOWLING MECHANISM. APPLICATION FILED DEC.14. 1911.

1,375,835, Patented Apr. 26, 1921.

18 SHEETS-SHEET 0 INVENTOR.

O.J. FAIRCHILD. AUTOMATIC BOWLING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED DEC.14, 197- 1,375,835. Patented Apr. 26,1921.

18 SHEETS-SHEET H- r INVENTOR.

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0. L-FAIRCHILD. AUTOMATIC sowums MECHANISM.

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I APPLICATION mm occ. |4,'19:1.- Patented Apr. 26"1 9 2l.

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um INVENTOR.

0. J. FAIRCHILD.

AUTOMATIG BOWLING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. l4, 1917- 1,375,835. Patented Apr. 26, 1921.

I8 SHEETSSHEET 14.

0. FAIRCHILD.

AUTOMATIC BOWLING MECHANISM. APPLICATION man 050.14, 1917.

1,375,835. Patented Apr. 26, 1921.

I8 SHEETSSHEET l5- INVENTOR.

Owe/z :ZlFaiz-ckild' 0.-J. FAIRCHILD. AUTOMATIC BOWLING MECHANISM.

. APfLICATION FILED D EC. 14. 1917. 1,375,835.

Patented Apr. 26, 1921.

18 SHEETS-SHEET l6- INVflNTOR. 183' Owen J 0. J. FAIRCHILD. AUTOMATIC BOWLING MEQHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. I 4, I91]. 1,375,835.

Patented Apr. 26, 1921.

I8 SHEETS-SHEET l7- INVEN TOR. 0/212 JWQ A TTO EY.

PATENT OFFICE.

UNITED STATES OREN J. FAIRCHILD, OF PASADENA, CALIFORNIA.

' AUTOMATIC BOWLING MECHANISM.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Apr. 26, 1921.

Application filed December 14, 1917. Serial No. 209,175.

, matic Bowling Mechanism, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to bowling alleys and mechanism employed in connection therewith, the principal object of which is to provide automatic mechanism for collecting and setting the bowling pins and the balls after each play without any manual attention whatever.

In all bowling alleys the pins, ten in num-- ber, are arranged symmetrically in triangular form around a central p111, one corner or angle of the triangle being in the exact center of the alley and facing the players and the other two angles being oppositely disposed laterally of the alley. "Thus transversely of the alley would be four lines of pins with a single pin in the front line, two pins in the second, three in the third and four pins in the fourth and rear line, the pins in the several lines being staggered with respect to each other and the central pin in the third line being the center of the imaginary circular lines about which all of the other pins are arranged. Hence, the two pins in the second line, the two outer pins of the third line and the two innermost pins of the rear line are concentrically arranged 'about'the central pin at angles of 60 degrees, and the corner pins of thetriangle are arranged about the same axis in a larger circle and spaced at angles of 120 degrees.

Inorder to properly set forth the objects of my invention and describe the mechanism employed for carrying out the said objects, I have divided the set of ten pins into three separate classes, namely, the central, concentric ,and corner pins of the triangle, and advantage is taken of the concentric arrangement of the majority of the pins for collecting and subsequently setting all of the pins of the set. Another object, therefore, is to provide means for collecting all ofthe set, aftera lay is completed, in concentric order about t c axis of the triangle and on the circleof the six concentric pins, and for subsequently moving the central and corner pins of the trlangle lnto their respective playing positions with the normally concentric pins.

A further object is to provide means for collecting and automatically setting any number less than the whole number of the pins which may have been knocked down in a play, without in any manner disturbing or displacing the other pins.

A still further object is to provide means for conveying the displaced pins, usually termed deadwood, from the alley to a point immediately below the alley, for collooting and setting the pins beneath the alley' and for simultaneously raising all or any number of the displaced pins through the floor of the alley and properly spacing and deposlting the same thereupon for another play., v I

Another ob ect is to provlde selector means capable of automatic operation, wherebyv the operation of the pin setting mechanism may not be interrupted when one or' more of the pins may have been left in playing position on the alley floor previous to the setting operation, and by means of which the remaining pinsmay be collected and properly set as usual.

Another object is to provide a movable alley floor section for receiving and holding the pins in playing positionand capable of being raised and inclined for discharging the upset pins therefrom after a play, without disturbing the pins left standing.

Another object is to provide a pin conveyer for receiving the pins discharged from v the floor after a play, en masse or singly, by means of which the pins may be turnedand conveyed in single file and all facing in the same direction, to the pin setting mechanism, after having been elevated to setting position, cups being provided for receiving the pins at such elevated positions, and means being provided for elevating the pins further into playing position above the floor.

Another object is to provide means for applying power to the conveyor and settlng mechamsm, intermittently as needed, by a system of'electrically actuated clutches controlled by manually operated switchesat the players end of the alley, and for collectin and returning the used balls to their normad positions near the players. Other objects In the accompanying drawings I have illustrated a preferred embodiment of my invention, but it will be obvlous that the details of structure shown may be substanreference are employed for indicating the same or like parts as mentioned in the description hereinafter following, it will be noted that in the assembled views of my improved mechanism" numerous parts are of necessity omitted from each of the views for clarity of-illustration and each of the assembled views is depended uponto show only a certain portion of the invention and the relation thereof to other parts of the mechanism, while the detail views clearly show all of the parts in their operative re lation.

I will now describe the views of my mechanism as illustrated in the drawings:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of one and portions of two adjacent bowling alleys showing my improved mechanism in connection therewith.

Fig. 2 is a plan of my mechanism with the floor removed and certain other portions omitted for clarity of illustration.

Fi 3 is a plan of the upper end of the pin evating cage.

Fig. 4 is a plan of the pin elevating cage with the top plate thereof removed and showing clearly the pin elevator.

Fig. 5 is a plan of the pin elevator cage base and certain elements therebeneath.

Fig. 6 is a lan of the pit and .cagebase of one of the a leysshowing particularly the selector mechanism and related elements.

Fig. 7 is an enlarged side elevation of the pin elevator cage controlling latch. I

Fig. 8 is an enlarged side elevation of one of the selector magnets and a portion of the pin elevator.

Fig. 9 is an end of the said magnet and an armature therefor, and Fig. 10 is a fragmentary view of the opposite end of the ma net.

*ig. 11 is a longitudinal sectional elevation of one of the alleys and the mechanism thereof.

Fig. 12 is a transverse sectional elevation of a portion of the mechanism shown in Fig. 11 taken on a plane forward of the ins; and Fig. 13 is a longitudinal section 0 one of the side ball and pin channels in one of the alleys.

Fi 14 is a longitudinal section of one of the a leys showing the movable floor and the lifting means therefor; Figs. 15 and 16 are detail views of the cable connectors with the floor lifting rods. r

Fig. 17 is a plan of the pin conveyer and elevator, and the ball elevator at the rear of the alleys, showing the mechanism for one alley complete and portions of the mechanism for the two adjacent alleys.

Fi 18 is an end elevation of the power clutc magnet for the pin and ball elevators and cage operating mechanism.

Fig. 19 is a cross sectional elevation of the mechanism shown in Fig. 17 looking rearwardly of the alley.

Fig. 20 is a longitudinal section of the mechanism shown in Fig. 17.

Figs. 20 and 20", are respectively, a plan v and an elevation of the pin elevating means for the elevator. 7

Fig. 21 is an enlar ed sectional View of the lower end of the pin elevator cage.

Fig. 22 is a fragmentary plan of thesame and Fig. 23 is an elevation of one of the pin receiving cups and support therefor mounted on the cage.

Fig. 24 is a side elevation of one of the pin swings for moving the pins from filling to setting position-used only for the corner and central pins of the set. Fig. 25 is an end elevation of the same; Fig. 26 is a side elevation of the swing latch means shown in an opposite position from that shown in Fig. 2 1; Fig. 27 is a plan of one of the swings and a portion of the elevator cage; Figs. 28, 29 and 30 are detail views of the pin swing latch actuating arms and rollers; Fig. 31 is a substantially enlarged view of the lower portion of oneof the swings and mounting therefor; and Fig. 32 is a fragmentary section of the cage elevator showing a pin lifting element seated thereon.

Fig. 33 is a fragmentary elevation, looking rearwardly ofthe alley, of the upper end of the ball elevatingmeans.

Fig. 34 is a sectional elevation of the ball elevator driving shaft and clutch means therefor; Fig. '35 is a transverse section of 4 one of the clutches shown in Fig. 3 1. .110

Fig. 36 is a sectional elevation of the pin elevator cage base and pivoted support therefor, showing the cage operating and elevator lifting gears.

Fig. 37 is a sectional elevation and detail of the magnetic switch actuating mechanism for controlling the operation of the cage; Fig. 38 is an end elevation of the same, and Fig. 39 is a fragmentary plan of'the same.

Fig. 40 is a substantially enlarged sectional elevationv of a portion .of the cage frame and movable floor support showing one of the pins about to be lifted upwardly through the trap door in the frame opening and floor to setting positions; Fig. 41 is a section of the same showing the pin partially extended through the opening in the floor and with the trap doors raised to permit the passage of the pin therethrough; .Fig- 42 is a similar section of the same .show- 

